Written and edited by Norm Scott:
EDUCATE! ORGANIZE!! MOBILIZE!!!
Three pillars of The Resistance – providing information on current ed issues, organizing activities around fighting for public education in NYC and beyond and exposing the motives behind the education deformers. We link up with bands of resisters. Nothing will change unless WE ALL GET INVOLVED IN THE STRUGGLE!

Sunday, February 11, 2018

Mike Schirtzer on BLM Reso: A Plea for More Unity in Our Union

I also call on both groups to work together to achieve a common goal:
Because Black Lives Do Matter to all of us. Now is not the time for
blame or is it the time to scream how things *should* be. Now is the
time to roll up our sleeves and get stuff done.... Mike Schirtzer

I asked Mike if this was his official application to join Unity Caucus. I don't agree with some of it but do agree that the black members of Unity are not racist - duh! or mere sellouts. More of my commentary after Mike's piece.

A Plea for More Unity in Our UnionBy Mike SchirtzerUFT Delegate Goldstein HS-BrooklynUFT Executive Board member“We want a union that believes Black Lives Matter”. That is the statement that was published by the MORE caucus of UFT, which I am a member, to be circulated online.It is also a false statement, one that is unnecessarily inflammatory and unfair.

On January 27 of this year, the Delegate Assembly of the UFT, which is predominantly Unity caucus and is comprised of many women and people of color, voted against a resolution entitled “Resolution for Black Lives Matter Week of Action on February 5th through 9th”The first resolved clause of that resolution said that the “UFT will join with participating grassroots organizations and cultural institutions, for a Black Lives Matter Week of Action, beginning February 5, 2018”This is what the Delegate Assembly of the UFT voted against.They did not say, nor ever insinuate, that Black Lives do not matter, as has been stated in social media, on NY1 and, recently, in an editorial in the New York Daily News.An editorial in the NY Daily News asked the union to "“to join us in doing the hard and courageous work to eradicate racism in the educational system.” It was written by parents who have been supportive of the UFT and of teachers. It is problematic because the explicit claim that UFT is not doing enough to fight racism is simply not true. I am not in the business of supporting the Unity Caucus. They too, have acted immature, recently distributing a flier with its own false accusations and encouraging its members to repeat those accusations on their Facebook page. The leaders of Unity have a history of calling those in the opposition “anti-union” and "extreme". That is a great insult and one that is not easily forgiven.To be clear, Unity members have promised to work together several times and have failed to follow-up. They have often voted against resolutions at Executive Board and Delegate Assemblies that we all know would push our union forward, because it came from a member of the “loyal opposition.” We in MORE are chapter leaders, delegates and activists who fight everyday in order to advance the rights of educators, people in our city and beyond. These false accusations must end as well.But we must be honest, even when that honesty requires strength: The UFT leadership has been active in the fight against racism. They have worked closely with the NAACP. They proudly marched with Eric Garner’s family. They work to support immigrants. They develop culturally relevant curriculum. They worked with DOE to integrate our schools and continue to advocate for a more diverse teacher force. The assessment that UFT does not stand against racism dismisses our close relationship with the NAACP and the inclusion of African-Americans in high positions of the decision making wing of the UFT leadership. This has existed for nearly a decade without notice and without credit from the press and or from the opposition.As for the January Delegate Assembly, my comrades from MORE have called out the lack of democracy, pointing to the lack of debate and the fact that Unity votes as a bloc. Yet, in the New Jersey teacher union, "there was 6 hours of debate” before their resolution was passed. Such debate has been routinely discouraged at MORE meetings and through emails. We have organizations within MORE which operate exactly as Unity does. How can we be bold enough to cast stones? When we call on Unity to hold debates and be transparent we ought to hold ourselves to that same standard.There is only one reason there is any transparency at all at UFT public forums, such as Executive Board meetings or Delegate Assemblies. It is because of the relentless work of Arthur Goldstein. His meticulous, accurate notes is what allowed us to offer this analysis on the BLM week of action resolution. It should be pointed out that the same people of MORE who have used his notes to expose Unity are the same people who have sought to restrict him and his work on the Executive Board. The same leaders of MORE who challenged Arthur's priorities for raising a resolution on fighting the proliferation of class-size violations, rely on the work that Arthur devotes dozens of hours of his own personal time to produce. Rather than issue statements on websites and social media posts, I would like to see the leaders of MORE that believe these accusations directly address the union leadership and say with their own mouths that “Black Lives don't matter to our union" because of you. If that is not the case, then still show up and clarify how our position and that of Unity is different. I also call on both groups to work together to achieve a common goal: Because Black Lives Do Matter to all of us. Now is not the time for blame or is it the time to scream how things *should* be. Now is the time to roll up our sleeves and get stuff done. Now is the time we all pull together as one union and advance this necessary cause. Because Black Lives Do Matter.. Because nothing short of actual improvement is worth our time.

Norm Commentary
Mike has some beefs with MORE - Me too but I am still there. And so is he --

I thought Leroy Barr did not do a good job but he was in a pickle
(and did know this was coming for a month.) I feel for Leroy, the son of
a teacher and a cop whose parents had "that conversation" with him as a
kid about black boys being safe on the street when confronted by
police. I ended up on the NY1 story being critical of Leroy's position
on Vietnam (accidentally because I ran into the reporter but did not
feel a white guy should be talking about BLM and suggested they try to
reach some black spokespeople but one I suggested did not want to be on
camera.) My friend on

I do think the way BLM
has been perceived has led to divisions and that the makers of the
motion are in denial if they think it is folly for he leadership to say there are divisions -- but also the UFT leaders should
have joined with MORE in countering the misconceptions of BLM week and
the divisions it can cause.

Some believe the major reason for the UFT
position is due to the police union objections. I know my radical
friends go all into a tizzy when people say anything good about cops,
but as one who lives on a block with a bunch of current and retired cops
I am not in that place. I can get where the UFT is coming from but also
think they have to do more to break down those walls instead of hiding
behind them.

2 comments:

Hard to see this. Painful actually. Black Lives Matter as a movement has galvanized activism around the country. It has had an impact on the lives of many and shaken us out of complacency. Many of our bread and butter issues overlap with the issues identified in the National BLM in schools week campaign.School closures, gentrification, excessing, evaluations, high stakes testing, scripted curriculum, national standards, teacher diversity and charter invasion by colocation and targetted privacy violating recruitment can all overlap. We can add school safety, resources, funding, staffing, and class size to that list. What does it mean in the time of Janus to confront our union on stances that are decidely unbold with language that is blunt and direct? It means that we want them to see how we see them. We want them to know that this is a time for bold stances, for being on the right side of history. The UFT could have taken solace in that they would have been in a group of 20. They could have chosen to focus on one angle. But they sent the message they were unwilling to do so. What they left us with was the message loud and clear that they would chose the path of self preservation. They dont have our back as much as we would wish. But it stung to be called out on it. They then revealed themselves with the response to Arthur, who is a personal hero of mine, by wanting to turn uft mtgs into vegas and let everything that happens there stay there.The only glimmer of hope is that a great big fire has been lit under their ass as they have begun to show up at mtgs to defend schools up for closure. Is poking the bear good policy? Who knows? But after a week of no less than 4 racially offensive incidents in schools, I think our point has been made. We want them in the fight along with us. But will they?

I agree that uft didn't handle this well. Mike is uncomfortable with attempts to brand a diverse leadership as somehow racist or anti Blm. I don't think they are but they may be entering panic mode due to Janus. In some ways I don't give a crap as they've been either on the fence or on the other side of the fence on so many issues. Don't expect bold action from the uft or aft. It is not in their DNA. They could have handled this by addressing Blm and what they think makes it divisive and providing info on why it shouldn't be. Like if after the holocaust Jews said Jewish lives matter many non Jews would not blink but others might. The creation of Israel is jlm. So when we see black people getting murdered it is part of the 400 year black holocaust. Blm is no less a response than jlm. my problem is around how the Blm reso was formulated, promoted - without backing of chapters and even at this point signs that some or most of its avid supporters did not appear to raise it in their school chapters where they could have addressed concerns of colleagues. An argument that there are too many trump supporters is a school is no different than Leroy's argument that it coukf be divisive. If you think you would get push back in your school and create s divisive issue that would divert everyone from fighting an abusive principal then does Leroy have a point? I think the entire discussion that we didn't have around this is fascinating and illuminates how our union operates but also how an opposition could be more effective.

Comments are welcome. Irrelevant and abusive comments will be deleted, as will all commercial links. Comment moderation is on, so if your comment does not appear it is because I have not been at my computer (I do not do cell phone moderating).

UFT Election Vote Comparison: 2004-10

A Personal Historical Perspective

Why Karen Lewis Reads Ed Notes

"A Black Agenda Radio commentary by Glen Ford

What media call "philanthropy" for the public schools are actually seed monies to establish a private "market" in publicly-financed education - an enterprise worth trillions if successfully penetrated by corporate America. Cory Booker, one of the "New Black Leaders" financed by the filthy rich, is key to creating a "nationwide corporate-managed schools network paid for by public funds but run by private managers.

"Ed Reformers" want to cash in on public education and to control its content and outcome, not improve it. Provide great education? Baby boomers had as close as this country has ever gotten to it when we were growing up. The Ed Reform Movement has no interest in seeing such a well-educated, democratically astute population ever again.

History of the UFT Pre-Weingarten Years

This award-winning series of articles by Jack Schierenbeck originally appeared in the New York Teacher in 1996 and 1997.

Naturally, from a certain point of view. But, despite certain biases, Schierenbeck, a great guy, was one of the best NY Teacher reporters so this is worth reading. Jack suffered a debilitating stroke many years ago (I used to get secret donations to ed notes from him through a 3rd source.)

“The schism in the union over radical politics [is] a major reason for stalling the growth of a teacher union for decades.” Revolutionary politics and ideology take center stage, as the original Teachers Union becomes a battlefield, pitting leftist against leftist and splitting the union.

Clarence Taylor's "Reds at the Blackboard" focused on the old Teachers Union which disbanded in 1964 after suffering from anti-left attacks.

Effective Union Organizing

A video series put together by Jason Mann from the British Columbia Federation of Teachers about social media and how to use it for effective union organizing.

The first series was called New Media For Union Activists Roadmap and it's still available on-line at:http://www.newmediabootcamp.ca/welcome/I watched some of them and need to rewatch as they are loaded with information.

The second series started last week and it's called "Online Campaigning for Union Activists"

You Don't Have A Choice - Join the Revolt

Hedges says, There are no excuses left. Either you join the revolt taking place on Wall Street and in the financial districts of other cities across the country or you stand on the wrong side of history.

Ex-Harlem Success Teacher Comments on Eva the Diva

I am a former Harlem Success teacher. Not many people who work/worked for her like her very much. I once made the comment that she is very nice when I first was hired. Two of her closest colleague responded immediately almost in unison, "Eve is not nice!" Over time I realized that there was a lot of political games going on. Another colleague once said to me that he was tired of "being part of a political campaign." Sending out 15,000 applications for only 400 seats in a school is reprehensible. The money that paid for those mass mailings could have paid the yearly salary of another teacher not to mention the heartache of all those parents who applied but did not get a spot. She does good work trying to give disadvantaged students a quality public school education but at a great cost to staff AND the school's educational budget! school budget.

GEM's Julie Cavanagh Debates E4E member on NY1 on LIFO and Seniority

Davis Guggenheim Compared to Riefenstahl

“Waiting for Superman" is the second most intellectually dishonest piece of documentary work I have seen. It is surpassed only by Leni Riefenstahl's "Triumph of the Will," the pro-Hitler propaganda classic, in that regard. Uses personal narratives of adorable children to create narrative suspense that overrides public policy discussion with pure emotion in unscrupulous attack on teachers and their unions, among others

Timothy TysonProfessor of African American Studies and HistoryDuke University

A Familiar Voice on Unions

"We must close union offices, confiscate their money and put their leaders in prison. We must reduce workers salaries and take away their right to strike"- Adolf Hitler, May 2, 1933

How Teaching Experience Makes a Difference

Even as New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Michelle Rhee and others around the nation are arguing for experienced teachers to be laid off regardless of seniority, every single study shows teaching experience matters. In fact, the only two observable factors that have been found consistently to lead to higher student achievement are class size and teacher experience, so that it’s ironic that these same individuals are trying to undermine both.- Leonie Haimson on Parents Across America web site

Outsource our children

Weingarten/Gates Foundation announce drone-driven teacher evaluation

According to a press release issued by the Gates Foundation, the AFT and the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, these three have entered a ground-breaking partnership to evaluate teachers utilizing the drone technology that has revolutionized warfare in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. A bird-size device floats up to 400 feet above a classroom and instantly beams live video of teachers in action to agents at desks at Teacher Quality Inspection Stations established by the AFT and the Thomas B. Fordham Institute.

When asked if the drones were authorized to drop bombs on teachers who exhibit inadequacy, Chester E. Finn, Jr., president of the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, replied, "Don't be ridiculous. Gates money puts other methods at our disposal."

Randi Weingarten, president of the 1.5-million-member American Federation of Teachers said the powerful union has signed on to the drone project...

Teacher Value-Added Data Dumping by Norm Scott

The Real Reason Behind Push for Standardized Tests: It's All About the Adults

On standardized testing in our schools

A must read article about the standardized test industry.Written by an insider who has worked as a test scorer, the article outlines a multinational industry based on an army of temporary workers paid by the piece at $0.30 to $0.70 per test, translated in the need to grade 40 tests per hour to make a $12 salary. The article goes on to show how the companies gauge the grading "results" based on the need to ensure new contracts to continue profiting off of our youth. The original article is from Monthly Review. Here it is on Schools Matter blog.

From Sharon Higgins

Parallels between America today and Germany in the 1920's and early 30's

"Resentment and obstruction are all the right wing in America have to peddle. Their policies are utterly discredited. Their ideology - even by its own standards - is a sham. They are so bereft of leaders, their de facto leader is a former drug addicted, thrice-divorced radio talk show host. That is literally the best they can muster. But they have built a national franchise inciting the downwardly mobile to blame the government, not the right, for their problems, exactly as Hitler did in the 1920s."

Chicago View of Unity/UFT on Charters

After many meetings and debates, the Chicago delegation succeeded in working with the New York United Federation of Teachers, Local 2 (UFT) to push the AFT to take stronger stands on charter school accountability and school closings — though many delegates from Chicago would have liked the language to have been even stronger.

Generally speaking, the New York delegation represented organizing charters as the best model for handling their role in reshaping unions, despite the fact that according to many reports few charter schools in New York have been organized as is the case in Chicago. This logic is the same touted by the Progressive Caucus of the AFT. The few that have been organized are a part of the UFT local though they have separate contracts negotiated with the help of UFT. The Chicago delegation reflection the mindset that allowing new charters to continue to proliferate while attempting to organize existing charters is an end game in which public schools and the union lose.

Ed Notes Greatest Hits: HSA Rally and Founding of GEM

Angel Gonzalez and I attended that rally and used the footage to promote our conference on Mar. 28, 2009, which is where the concept of a group like GEM emerged. Until then we had basically been a committee of ICE working with the NYCORE high stakes testing group. The actions of Eva and crew helped spawn GEM. Mommie Dearest!!

I have more video somewhere. I was hoping to get Leni Riefenstahl to edit it but she died. We would have called it "Triumph of the Hedge Fund Operators."

Video of Chicago's George Schmidt and CORE Shredding Arne Duncan and the Chicago Corporate Model

Great Post on Teacher Quality at the Morton School

I'm very tired of the myth that schools are bursting at the seams with apathetic, unskilled, surly, child-hating losers who can't get jobs doing anything else. I recently figured that, counting high school and college where one encounters many teachers in the course of a year, I had well over 100 teachers in my lifetime, and I can only say that one or two truly had no place being in a classroom.